Miyamoto Musashi was a famous Japanese swordsman who traveled 17th century Japan, engaging in duels and developing his unique two-handed fighting style. In the 1935 epic, Musashi, Eiji Yoshikawa writes about the life of this famous samurai. Although the account is somewhat fictionalized, it is based on Musashi's real-life quest for swordfighting perfection in which he vanquished many skilled opponents and eventually experienced a martial arts enlightenment. It's a great read and I highly recommend it.
Much like Yoshikawa's legendary warrior, your prospective clients are also on a quest of monumental proportions. That's right, your prospects are pursuing business success in the same way Musashi pursued combative success. And when they search for new solutions to help them achieve this success, they undertake an expedition that has all of the elements of an epic adventure: perils, opportunities, conflict and ultimately, victory or defeat. This odyssey is called the Buyer's Journey, and understanding its distinct stages can mean the difference between winning the day or ending up as just another conquered foe.
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Awareness
The first stage of the Buyer's Journey is the Awareness stage. In this part of the journey, the client realizes they have a problem. They look at their organization and they recognize that they need to make a change. As marketers, we need to understand what the prospect is experiencing in this stage. They have goals and questions. Create and deploy content that shows you might be able to help. Engaging infographics loaded with insights and stats work great for this. As your prospects move to the next stage of the quest, use social media and blogging to establish and maintain a connection.
Consideration
Once the buyer has made the commitment to solving their problem, they have entered the Consideration phase of the journey. Now these prospects will be looking for someone to guide them on their journey. Be that guide. Offer content that positions your organization as a thought leader in your industry. Use short videos that demonstrate your mastery of the field. White papers are also excellent tools that show you possess the knowledge and experience to help them with their problem. Remember, at this stage buyers are evaluating solution categories -- not specific solution providers. Present leads with the methodologies that help them move closer to a solution and resist the urge to start pitching them on your specific product and service offerings -- for now.
Decision
The buyer is ready to select a solution. If you've done your marketing job correctly, you are in the running. Now its time to let prospects know about what makes your organization exceptional. Provide high-quality, informative collateral that effectively communicates your value proposition. Identify what differentiates you from the competition. Convey the meaningful characteristics your company possesses and reassure your buyers that you are the right choice. Most of all, be consistent. Stay on-brand. If your sales guys will be doing the heavy lifting here, make sure they are adequately prepared for the tasks at hand. High-quality and informative feature lists, product datasheets, brochures, presentations, and communication templates are the types of tools that will help them succeed as they do battle with your competition.
